Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-20
THE SEA SERPENT OR WHAT?
The Curious Appearance in the Bay, as
Witnessed by Another observer.

The Curious Appearance in the Bay, as
Witnessed by Another Observer.
The following communication is from
an intelligent citizen of Burlington, but
as Mr.. Murray and the lighthouse keeper
agree, the "bird theory" at present has
two to one in its favor:
BURLINGTON, VT, May 1G
To the Editor of the Free Fress:
1t is evident from the letter in to-day's
issue of the FREE PRESS that the author
of the "Adirondack Tales" has changed
from a creator to a destroyer of illusions.
| dissent in toto from the conclusions
reached by Mr.. Murray, provided the phe-
nomena witnessed by both were identical,
and | regret he was not more explicit as
regards the time and route wherein the
supposed sea serpent made his appear
ance.
To begin with, the lake was not only
not scarcely rippled," but a gale was
blowing and white caps flecked the bay in
all quarters, and the waves dashed in
spray around Rock Dunder, Juniper
island and the Vermont shore. The veloc-
ity of the wind and turbulency of the
waves gave apparent credence to the theo-
ny of wind action. And the most mar.
yelous feature of the display was the ra-
pidty and uniformity with which the line
Of white foam crested the wave in the
particular travelled at right angles to it.
My view of the phenomena was like
this Last Friday, May 10, on my way
down town | heard the report that the
sea serpent had been seen off the Battery.
Reaching my office, | took a powerful
field glass and went on the roof of the
building, which certainly affords the best
point ddUdntdge of any in Burlington
for such spectacle. At about 7:45 no.
ticed disturbance of the water of Rock
Dunder. Turning the glass on it,
the surface of the lake was as
gazing in basin of water at my feet.
There was submarine CONFUSION of some
kind going on. The water was naturally
chOppy from the cold wind, and shot up
from beneath IN long, angular, white jets
more like icicles of various length and
thickness dancing erect on The surface than
anything can think of now. sometimes
the internal commissions ceased, and be-
meath the line of spray was dark mass,
but whether water or the body of some
monster could not be determined. Had it
been scay fish or animal the Observa-
ton would have been different. For five
minutes the display continued within an
area of two or three acres, and the change
OF position was like this: Extend both
arms in front of the body with thumbs up,
with gentle wave or gesture move the
lett hand to the left gradually turning the
ptlul vi lllc lullii upward, lUtU extend Unt
right hand to the right III the same man
ner. 80 the disturbance of the waves ap-
peared, ana gave me the impression that
there was reef there and the foam was
caused by the backward and forward
sweep OF the waves over it. There was an
apparent regularity in this advancing and
retreating swish OF the water which con
tirmed my impression, when of sudden
the line of foam started at railroad speed
northward along the New York shore
leaving Juniper island on the right. For,
say five miles, this was kept up once in
a while suddenly subsidng and as sud
denly reappearing AT point off
the New York shore north of Rock
Point, the course was instantaneously
changed, and the crest of white came at
at terrilice speed directly toward me.
! ihen had an opportunity to do Il little
exploding of theories on my own account.
| should estimate the length of the line at
40 to 60 feet, uniform in height and
breadth, the latter about six feet. OF
| ROCK Point the monster sank and as the
tail (supposed) disappeared there was Il
a higher toss of the waves than ever, and
"A sort of pitchpoling movement or somer-
sault. After a lapse of two minutes the
foam appeared and bore away to the south
Just outside and parallel to the break
water. When the lighthouse was reached
| IT turned, struck straight across to Rock
Dunder and there dove again.
MY 8lasS, unlike MT. Murray'S :, showed
no Migratory motion at all, but resist
less onward sweep no difference in color
at all, but an unbroken line of white mt
curves at all, but all motions at as perfect
angles as geometry ever knew. And his
bird theory does not explain the disappear
Ances, and how it was that the line OF
white was four to six feet deep, SO tC
speak, extending down to and merged il
the bosom of the lake. These difference
cannot be explained by the difference il
location of observatory.
Evidently there We're divers phenomena
last Friday on the lake, and it is not i'm
possible that Mr. Murray and his light
different one from myself Thinking
the appearance might be due to flock
of birds, / carefully scanned the surface
of the lake whenever the disappearance
occurred but nothing could be seen bu
water, water everywhere" And wher
the Temperatures occurred invariably wa
the point some hundreds of feet ava,
from the spot where the boiling and surg
. ing and foaming ceased. Where were thu
birds all this while
! read with interest, Mr.. Editor thi
, mornings account of the appearance of
! serpent on Lake Erie near Toledo
seems as If his majesty, disguised at MI
Murray's explanation of his antics in on
waters (Which apparently was in process
or incubation on Saturday departed iron
this vicinity as'fast as his immense speed
? could carry him. WHAT SERPENs.
PLEURIsY CURED.
4 KINGSTON, ONTARIO, December T. 1885.
six years ago caught II severe cold standn